Do Millennials Have a Lesser Work Ethic?

The collision between the Millennial generation’s expectations and reality was in full display recently, as 25-year-old Yelp employee Talia Jane wrote an open letter to the company’s CEO complaining about her job and was promptly fired.

Jane has some undeniable points about the egregiously expensive rent in the Bay Area and the general ignorance of the well-off to recognize how difficult it is to make it these days. Yet her letter also captures the complaints many managers have about some young workers: They want to start at the top, and their work ethic leaves something to be desired. (For example, Jane complained that she was told she would have to work in an entry-level position for an entire year—italics and bold hers—a prospect hardly shocking to previous generations who realized they would have to work their way up).

Her letter has also reignited a debate over the work ethic of Millennials (born, approximately, 1980-1994; I call them Generation Me). Stefanie Williams, at 30 just a few years older than Jane, wrote a response suggesting that young people like Jane just need to develop a better work ethic if they want to make it.

Then Forbes.com got into the mix, saying that “science sets us straight” that the “truth about Millennial work ethic” is, in short, that it’s just fine.

Source: Syda Productions/Shutterstock

The problem is that the “science” they cite doesn’t answer the question of whether there are generational differences in work ethic—it doesn’t even come close. They cite:

1. A survey from Seventeen magazine finding that 80% of college and high school students take at least a part-time job during the school year—a higher rate than ever before. Actually, large, nationally representative surveys find that the opposite: Fewer high school and college students work during the school year compared to previous generations.

2. A survey of UPenn business students finding that 1992 graduates expected to work 58 hours a week; 2012 graduates expected to work 72 hours. This is what they expect; it says nothing about what they actually did, and does not reflect on changing standards at work including the flexibility allowed by technology.

3. A survey from Bentley University finding that half of Millennials are willing to work long hours and weekends to achieve career success. But how does that compare to previous generations? Perhaps an even higher percentage of Boomers and Gen X’ers were willing to work long hours. You can’t conclude that generational differences exist with data from just one generation—it’s impossible.

4. A survey by Ernst & Young found that 47% of Millennials in management positions have begun working more hours in the last five years compared to 38% of Gen X and 28% of Boomers. Of course they have—they are young and just got the management jobs, while Boomers have one foot out the door to retirement. This difference is likely due to age and career stage, not generation.

What we really need are large, nationally representative surveys of the generations over time when they were the same age, so we have data on several generations and can take age out of the picture.

So what do surveys like this show? In fact, the science does support the idea that Millennials have a lower work ethic. For example, the nationally representative Monitoring the Future project has surveyed half a million high school seniors since 1976. Here’s how the generations answered three questions relevant for work ethic:

Boomers Gen X Millennials

Don't want to work hard 26% 30% 38%

Willing to work overtime 59% 56% 47%

If had enough money 22% 26% 29%

would not want to work

(Remember, this is what young people say about themselves, and age is held constant—these must be generational or cultural changes).

Yet at the same time Millennials are still more likely to say money is very important and that they want to buy expensive things (Tim Kasser and I explored this in a paper a few years ago). This is entitlement—so it’s not surprising that’s the word on everyone’s lips in discussing this problem.

Of course, like any study comparing groups, these are averages. There are certainly exceptions. It’s also worth noting that the majority of Millennials say they are willing to work hard—but there’s a growing minority (from 26% to 38%) who say they are not. It goes without saying, but everyone should judge people based on their individual merits, not their generation. However, we also shouldn’t put our heads in the sand about what Millennials are saying about themselves and their work ethic.

I used to ask my class of undergraduate students to name five good things and five bad things about their generation. For years, “lazy” was consistently among the students' top five responses for bad things. For years, I’d tell the students, “There’s no evidence of that.” Then I came across this data. As much as I’d like to, I don’t say that anymore.

I feel like this article is a bit entitled. It talked about how this generation is so "entitled" (like every older generation ALWAYS talks about younger generations), and there is no serious consideration of WHY. Could it be that working your way up is harder now? Getting a good job after just getting a bachelors is WAY more challenging? Teaching at a college it is becoming more and more common to require a PhD where that was note the case before. My father (a boomer) got MULTIPLE job offers right out of school, people were COMPETING to employ him. The world changes, and yes people change in response. My father ended up being EXTREMELY successful. But my guess is he would not have been in that position today. He's smart, but he wouldn't have been driven enough. Does that mean he's lazy? No, he's a hard working man. But he probably didn't believe in himself enough in his 20s. With inflation, a crazy job market, and housing costs being WAY more up there (due to our increasing population), I would really ask people to not judge the millenials. I am at the annex between generation x and millenial, and even I have seen differences in my experience, compared to 10 years ago. I feel for them. This whole "they are lazy" business really gets under my skin. Life is different now. Maybe there are pros and cons to that. But maybe they aren't lazy. Maybe some of them (a minority of course) are defeated.

Getting a job and working your way up isn't harder if you show initiative and are generally good at what you do. I'm 23, was at the time 19, maybe 18 when I started my job and it took all of five months to reach management level. Mind you, I decided to move on to more rewarding lines of work as I felt I was not exercising my mind enough where I was, but when I asked why I got picked to get a promotion over my co-worker who had started at the same time (she was in her 30's) I was given the answer that I simply showed more initiative to learn new things as well as to try and perform duties I had more efficiently and I was more enthusiastic about doing so. It really does have to do with your work ethic and how much you stand out. Most people of my generation just don't understand that you dont move up the food chain just because you want to, or because you ask nicely.

In other Psychology Today articles, the notion that people quit their bosses instead of the work was shown. From my work experience and own introspection, I completely agree.

And I think millennials have entered the work force under bad management. The trailing end of the boomer generation was stuck in a hyper-competitive and knowledge-based environment. These people are mid-level management. What I have seen is a reluctance to share information or take the time to train a young employee.

What I see is the millennials doing everything in their power to avoid bad employers.

I am 29, earned a degree in mechanical engineering, and recently started my own pottery studio. I am an anomaly.

I understand they feel entitled to training, but the training is very specific nowadays, you have to come in at a certain level and be able to catch quickly. However, a lot of people "boost" their resumes and claim skills they do not have, like for example programming, and what they mean by "know" is basic, if even that, they know how to search on internet for code. When you say you know programming I assume I'm telling you the problem I have and you write code to solve it, not that I'll teach you coding or help you find and fix bugs in the code. And mentoring one-on-one, forget about it, not anymore in the workplace, you do that in school, undergrad or grad.

In 2011, I earned a Bachelor's in graphic design. Straight out of college, I was working four jobs: art teacher, freelancer, print shop assistant, and university media tech. I have run my own art gallery, painted Disneyland and Rose Parade floats, and helped start an app. Don't label a whole generation "lazy" when they're the most likely to have multiple jobs and the least likely to be able to pay their rent. We're adults, we know we need to pay our dues and work hard before we get to the point where we're truly happy with our careers. Yes, there's idiots out there, but every generation has those.

1. The sources for the declining number of students with jobs are the Monitoring the Future study (mentioned later) and the American Freshman study.

2. These surveys compare Boomers, GenX, and Millennials -- so no, I have not answered 1 by citing data from just one generation. It is from three.

3. Any study with data collected at just one time cannot separate the effects of age and generation. That is not conjecture -- just a fact of the method. If a study is done in 2016, the young people will all be Millennials and the older people Boomers. Hardly a guess.

There are definitely a lot of misconceptions when it comes to millennials (see this research here: http://bit.ly/1Qhb5q8). Just because one girl in her 20s acts entitled doesn't mean we all think that way. I use to work in a company that consisted of 96% millennials and they were some of the most hard-working and dedicated people I know!

The information in this link is yet another example of polls that can't be used to draw conclusions about generational differences: They survey only one generation. Without anyone to compare Millennials to, these surveys can't say anything about how they differ, or don't, from other generations.

Being a Millennial myself, I agree with prior comments stating that our generation is focused on working "smarter" rather than just "harder." That being said, it is entirely possible to work both hard and smart. I can see how older generations might view our innovative ideas as "lazy," since we are not as predisposed as they are/were to put in endless hours at the office without any prospect of promotion or upward movement. However, I believe that older generations need to accept the innovative and ever-changing world that we live in and need to stop expecting Millennials to behave as they did when they were young. I view their classification of Millennials as "lazy" as merely another instance of resistance to change and innovation. Of course there are those in our generation who are lazy and entitled (as with every group), but in my experience, I have witnessed some of the most innovative and forward-thinking individuals produced by our outside-the-box style of work.

Ethics: the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation.

Millennials are the first generation to believe that they can live outside the boundaries of what is black and white, ie: good/bad, right/wrong, love/hate, etc.

They live in the gray area where anything goes. Thereby not having to commit to or take responsiblity for ethical/moral conduct, the natural order of life that has been with us since the beginning of time.

This gray area allows for narcissism, arrogance, self indulgence and misplaced pride. It also allows for lack of empathy, sympathy and compassion. These traits also allow for not having to be responsible for anything...there are no personal boundaries.

Instead of calling this group the Millennials, they should be called "The Know-It-Alls". As they are not open to the wisdom of their elders. No one can teach them anything...they know it all. They truly believe they are more intellegent than their predecessors, thereby show little if any respect for anyone. All the while believing they should be treated with a respect they have not earned.

And yes, you may be "book smart", but you are life ignorant. As "twenty-somethings" you are elementary in the course of life. And have no understanding of how truly immature your thought processes are to intelligent, "mature" people.

Yet, you are the next leaders of the free world...what a scary thought.

For those of you whom I have offended, my apologies. Let's talk again in forty years when you have a better perspective of the current chip on your shoulder. Maybe then you will understand the definition of ethics.

As a Father of Millennials, I am tired of hearing how these kids don't have work ethic...

Which is total Bull.

Keep in mind that these kids grew up in a very different America than the Boomers and Gen-X'ers.

They watched their parents get outsourced, forced to work unpaid overtime for vague promises that were ultimately broken, benefits and pensions replaced with ever devaluing 401K's.

They watched their parents get laid off in bubble-bursts and relocated to crap parts of the country for corporate tax breaks only to see the plant shut down a few years later and then were stuck trying to sell a house in a bad market.

They have watched our Universities become money-grubbing businesses joined with corrupt banks that have locked these kids into endless debt due to predatory loan practices.

They have watched both political parties sell out the American workers to Asia and H1B visa abusers. They have seen a flood of poor immigrants run across our boarders, cheered along by mindless old hippies, only to be treated like slave labor by small companies because they are undocumented....

...No, these kids don't have a "bad work ethic" --- they are entering the workforce with eyes wide open.

They have seen the corporate greed and Washington betrayal, and they know the score.

So, excuse me if I am okay with their "attitude" ---- After all, we Baby Boomers cultivated it.

As someone who has worked at a small college for the past 25 years, I couldn't agree more. Having a 'work ethic' is great, but people also need to have a life and I believe today's generation is waking up to how Corporate America has been treating working people. Yes, some students seem 'entitled' (to a top job out of school, or a high grade when their work wasn't up to standard), but on the whole I have faith that this generation will go out into the world and strive for sanity and balance in place of the expected maniacal 'workaholism' of the past decades. It's about time.

Those who criticize my generation forget who raised us. Throw your kids out on the street. Stop paying for their stuff. This girl has an attitude because other people are paying for her stuff (the car, bus rides). This girl expects to have a well heated house. She expects it. Why? Because she's never had to live a hard life. As a millennial who survived starvation in a 35 degree apartment, I can tell you that work ethic comes from motivation. Those who have everything given to them are not motivated to grow up.

Honestly, being a '93 baby, I can speak first hand about disdain for my generation. My peers don't see work ethic as a valuable tool. They go out of their way to come in late and make excuses to clock out early. There are always exceptions as in any generation, however, entitlement is an issue. They think that management should be grateful that they show up. Many haven't experienced hardship in most any form. They hold very idealist views of the world and most believe everyone should be 'entitled' to life/financial support. If they fail at their job or they simply lose interest, they'll lean on their parents again, without any sense of shame. It's as though they fumble through life and cannot commit to anything fully -- their career, their relationship, even their major if they go to college.

They think that voicing their opinion in anything makes them an expert, even with little knowledge or experience in the subject because their stance makes them feel good or humanitarian (though I believe social media really pushed this mentality.) If they feel the need to complain or brag, they expect people to react. They take photos of everything they do and post it online to get validation of their lives, hence the constant need for positive feedback from management. It's how they live their lives. Not for themselves, but for the positive emotional reward they seek from others for everything they actually do.

Additionally, millennials like myself were cropped in a world where there is an overwhelming amount of information, prone to lack of validation (opinions and fake news are constantly coupled with factual research.) Open up Google and you can learn anything, right? Well, it has alleviated a lot of critical thinking. Lots of information, but not enough actual knowledge. I think this also plays into why so many cannot focus or really digest gratefulness -- there is too much stimulation. And, as Jane so eloquently complained, working at one position for a whole year is a burden because it is perceived as a stalemate. It's almost ADHD worthy. Google one thing, then another related thing, and another... until you forget why you unlocked your phone in the first place.

I think it's really up to us. We as a generation need to step back and think for ourselves. Stop with the selfies, stop bragging about the cool view you have of the sunset, stop complaining or responding to the clickbait-esque whines of your peers. Try a social media detox and go do something to really be proud of -- just for you. Focus. You'll feel better when your happiness isn't anchored by retweets and likes.

My millennial daughter graduated (with a business degree) into the recession of 2009, was jobless for a year, went back and completed a masters (human resources), but still works in an unchallenging, but socially fun job. This morning she told me she doesn't want to get a better job because she "would have to work."
Is she lazy, entitled, or defeated? Maybe, a little of each.

Millennials aren't lazy or lacking work ethic. Quite frankly, they want the same things prior generations wanted - more flexibility in how and where they work. The difference today is technology is so embedded into the lives of millennials that their desires are possible. This is showcased by this article about how millennials view work/life balance differently than GenX or Boomers: greetly[dot]com/blog/the-work-life-balance-is-dead-or-so-says-the-millennial